Ski carrier



Sept. 19, 1967 G. c. DUCKWORTH 3,342,388

SKI CARRIER Filed Sept. 5, 1965 INVENTOR GLENN C. DUCKWORTH BY mg ATTO RN EY United States Patent 3,342,388 SKI CARRIER Glenn C. Duckworth, 32520 W. Haverford, Franklin, Mich. 48025 Filed Sept. 3, 1965, Ser. No. 484,934 6 Claims. (Cl. 224-45) My co-pending patent application, Scr. No. 479,893, filed Aug. 16, 1965, now Patent No. 3,278,097, disclosed a device for clamping a pair of skis together and for carrying the skis and ski poles. Broadly that invention consists of a pair of elongated resilient straps each having a male connector at one end and a female connector at the other end, which are adapted to be wrapped at spaced intervals around the midsection of a pair of skis aligned back-to-back and retained about the skis by the tension of the straps. Each of the straps is equipped with a pair of flexible connecting members such as chains joined to the straps at spaced points so as to extend from opposite sides of the pair of skis when the straps are joined to the skis. The apparatus also includes an elongated handle joined at one end to one pair of connecting chains and at the other end to the other pair of connecting chains. The straps retain the skis in locked position to one another and the handle allows the skis to be conveniently carried in a horizontal position. The ski poles may also be carried by passing them between the sets of connecting chains. The connecting chains pass along both faces of the pair of skis so as to retain them against rotation out of their normal position.

The present invention constitutes an improvement over the invention of that previous application. Broadly, it employs a similar pair of resilient straps to clamp the skis together. Each strap is equipped with a connecting chain that has its ends joined to spaced points on the straps to form a closed loop. However, rather than providing a handle member joined at its end to the chains, the present invention provides means for joining the opposite ends of the chain pairs to the ski poles themselves, at spaced points, so that the section of ski poles between the two connecting straps may be grasped and employed as a handle member. As disclosed in the preferred embodiment of my invention, which will subsequently be disclosed in detail, the ski poles are adapted to be passed through the closed chain loops. Each chain is equipped with a link formed of a short section of a flexible material. The links have a pair of apertures in them and the free ends of the chain are passed between opposite apertures before being connected to the strap section in the manufacturing process, so that the links divide each chain into a pair of loops. The links may be slid along the chain so as to open one of the loops and close the other. The ski poles are passed through the outer loop and then locked in position by bringing the link along the chain into position against the poles. A high friction coating such as rubber is provided at least along a portion of the section of the chain so as to cushion the engagement of the poles and lock the chain in position, against sliding along the poles.

The present invention thus provides several advantages over similar ski carriers, previously known. Central among these is the utilization of devices which lock the pair of skis together and attach to the ski poles at spaced points on the poles, so that the poles may provide a handle for carrying the skis. This allows the carrier to take the form of a structure that is very low in bulk so that it may be stored on the skiers person without inconvenience. It also provides important cost advantages over my preivous device, as well as other devices of the prior art.

The following description also discloses a second embodiment of my invention constituting a variation on the first, wherein the strap ends may be locked together and to any permanent structure for storage purposes by means 3,342,388 Patented Sept. 19, 1967 of a padlock which is coupled to a safety chain intended to be passed through the structure.

It is therefore seen to be a primary object of the present invention to provide a ski carrier consisting of a pair of resilient straps adapted to be passed about a pair of backto-back skis at spaced points so as to join the skis together, each having an elongated connecting section with its ends joined to the strap at spaced points so as to form a large loop which is adapted to retain the ski poles so that they may be used as a handle for the carrier.

Another object of the present invention is to present such a device wherein means are provided for dividing the connecting loops thus formed into a pair of sections, the dividing means being adapted to be moved along the connecting loops so as to close one of the sections about a pair of ski poles retained therein.

Another object is to provide such a device wherein the connecting sections attach to the straps at spaced points so that they may be positioned on opposite sides of a pair of skis retained in the straps to provide stability to the carrier unit thus formed.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide means for locking the ski structure consisting of the skis and poles against unauthorized use by means of elongated chain which retains the skis to some permanent structure and joins through the lock loop to the male and female connector members of one of the straps.

Other objects, advantages and applications of the present invention will be made apparent by the following detailed description of two preferred embodiments of my invention.

The description makes reference to the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the connector joined to a pair of skis and poles; and

FIGURE 2 is a view of a second embodiment of the connector which provides means for locking the joined skis to some permanent structure.

Referring to the drawings, both embodiments of the present invention are used to retain and carry a pair of skis, 10 and 12 which are arranged in back-to-back relationship.

The invention employes a pair of identical units, generally indicated at 14 and 16 and only one of the units will be described, it being understood that the description applies to the other unit as well.

Each of the units is formed about a resilient strap 18 preferably formed of molded rubber. At one of its ends, the strap 18 is molded about a straight section of a wire male connector member 20. The other end of the strap is molded about a straight section of a wire female connector member 22. The connector members 20 and 22 are each formed of closed loops of bent wire. The strap 18 is formed with such a length that it may be wrapper about the skis 10 and 12 when they are positioned as shown in FIGURE 1 and the strap must be stretched to bring the male and female connectors into locking relationship as shown in that figure. When the tension manually applied to the strap 18 is released and the connectors are engaged the connectors lock together in the illustrated manned. They may be removed by again stretching the strap and separating the connectors.

At spaced points located equidistantly from the ends of the connector and centered about the middle of the strap, the strap 18 is molded about a pair of closed loop wire clips 24 and 26. One section of each of the clips pass through molded apertures in the strap 18 and the outer section of each has a bulge 28 and 30. These bulges retain the ends of an elongated connected chain section 32 which might be formed of cable or wire in other embodiments of the invention. The chain 32 has a molded rubber cover 34 extending for a distance along its midsection. The rubber cover 34 is intended to engage a pair of ski poles 36 and 38 which are inserted through the loops formed by the chains of the two straps 14 and 16 in a direction parallel to the extension of the skis and 12.

Each chain 32 is equipped with a connecting link 40 consisting of a flat section of a preferably flexible material such as rubber or leather which has a pair of holes 42 formed at spaced points on its surface. Previous to the assembly of the chain 32 to the connecting links 24 and 26 the free ends of the chain are passed through the holes 42. The link 40 may then be used to close the chain about the ski poles that are retained therein by moving the link 40 upwardly against the poles.

In use, the pair of straps 18 are wrapper about two points located adjacent to the center of balance of the skis and separated from one another by about six to eight inches. The straps are arranged so that the clips 24 and 26 are disposed adjacent to two opposite corners of the set of skis. The straps 18 are stretched so that the connectors and 22 may be locked together and then the tension is released, retaining the straps in the locked position. A pair of ski poles 36 and 38 may then be passed through the chains 32 in the loops formed between the links 40 and the end sections 34. The loops are then closed about the poles by bringing the links upwardly against them. The normal tension on the chains maintains the links in their locked position.

The assembly may then be carried by using a section of poles between the two chains as a handle, in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 1.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGURE 2 closely resembles that of FIGURE 1. Again, a pair of skis 10 and 12 in back-to-back relationship are retained by straps 18 having chains 32 attached to their upper end and a pair of ski poles 36 and 38 are passed between links 40 in the chain and rubber covered end sections 34. The connectors 22 and 24 are used to join the strap to the ski.

This embodiment ditfers in that a key operated padlock 50 has its hasp 52 passed through both of the connectors so as to retain the strap about a ski. The lock 50 has an elongated chain 54 with one end permanently joined to its hasp and the other end securable to the hasp. In use, the free end of the chain is wrapped around some permanent structure such as the pole 56 and reattached to the hasp forming a closed loop. This allows the skis to be safely left on ski racks and supports outside of the ski lodge by the skier.

Both embodiments of the invention for-m compact units that may be easily stored on the skiers person without inconvenience when detached from the skis.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A retainer and carrier for skis comprising: a pair of elongated resilient straps; male connector means disposed on one end of each of the straps and female connector means disposed on the other end of said straps; a pair of elongated flexible pole retaining members each associated with one of the straps, and each having both of its ends joined to its associated strap at spaced points, equidistant from ends of the strap; and means for forming a loop of variable dimension along the free length of said pole retaining member.

2. The carrier of claim 1 wherein the means for forming loops of variable dimension at the free end of the pole retaining members consists of links having a pair of holes formed therein, said pole retaining members passing through both of said holes, and said link being slidable along the member, so as to form a loop between the link and the closed end of the member passed through the link.

3. The carrier of claim 1 wherein the pole retaining members constitute chains and the means for forming loops of variable dimension at the free end of the chains consists of links having a pair of holes formed therein, said chains passing through both of said holes, and said link being slidable along the member, so as to form a loop between the link and the closed end of the member passed through the link.

4. A ski retainer and carrier, comprising: a pair of elongated strap members molded of rubber; pair of closed loop wire male connector members each associated with one of the straps having one of its sides molded within one end of that strap; a pair of elongated closed loop Wire female connecting members each associated with one of the straps and having one of its sections molded within the opposite end of said strap; each of said straps having a pair of wire connector members molded at spaced points intermediate of their ends so that the connector members of one strap extend from the same surface; a pair of elongated flexible pole retainers, each having its ends joined to the connector members of one strap; and means for forming a loop of variable dimension along the length of each of said pole retainer members.

5. A carrier for a pair of back-to-back skis, comprising; a pair of elongated resilient straps adapted to be wrapped about the skis at spaced points located adjacent to the center of balance of the skis; connector means fixed to the ends of the straps so as to fix the straps about the skis; a pair of elongated, flexible, pole engaging members, one associated with each strap, each of said last members having both of its ends connected to its associated strap at spaced points, a lock operative to join the two connector members on the opposite ends of one of the straps together; and an elongated lock chain joined to the lock at at least one end and operative to be looped through some permanent structure for retaining the skis with respect to that structure.

6. The carrier of claim 5 wherein the connectors on the ends of at least one strap constitute closed wire loops and the lock member has a hasp which is passed through both of the loops in order to lock the strap about the ski.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,847,501 3/ 1932 Stahler. 3,091,011 5/1963 Campbell 224-45 X 3,225,987 12/1965 Bonner 224-45 3,260,430 7/ 196 6 Sandenburgh 224 45 FOREIGN PATENTS 855,007 1/ 1940 France.

9,903 4/ 1907 Great Britain. 23,778 11/1904 Great Britain. 273, 106 4/ 1 Switzerland.

GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner. F. E. WERNER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A RETAINER AND CARRIER FOR SKIS COMPRISING: A PAIR OF ELONGATED RESILIENT STRAPS; MALE CONNECTOR MEANS DISPOSED ON ONE END OF EACH OF THE STRAPS AND FEMALE CONNECTOR MEANS DISPOSED ON THE OTHER END OF SAID STRAPS; A PAIR OF ELONGATED FLEXIBLE POLE RETAINING MEMBERS EACH ASSOCIATED WITH ONE OF THE STRAPS, AND EACH HAVING BOTH OF ITS ENDS JOINED TO ITS ASSOCIATED STRAP AT SPACED POINTS, EQUIDISTANT FROM ENDS OF THE STRAP; AND MEANS FOR FORMING A LOOP OF VARIABLE DIMENSION ALONG THE FREE LENGTH OF SAID POLE RETAINING MEMBER. 